John McEnroe still the main attraction after all these years

Tennis legend reaches the final of Champions Tour event in Delray Beach

February 22, 2010|By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

DELRAY BEACH — Different generations of tennis players are vying for victories during this week's ATP combo platter at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, but none has drawn more rock-star attention than the iconic John McEnroe.

McEnroe can't move like he used to, but at 51 is still amazingly spry and as thin as his racket handle. Playing in front of the largest crowds, even when practicing with a mostly ignored James Blake — one of the top Americans of the current era — McEnroe has been beseiged by autograph seekers and cameraphone-carrying fans.

He's flashed his vintage serve-and-volley skills while also flashing his infamous ire at linesmen in victories over old rivals such as fellow seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander, Andres Gomez and Johan Kriek in the eight-man, round-robin Champions Tour event.

"I'll pay you $20 to show me the mark," McEnroe barked at the chair umpire during his Saturday match with Wilander. "This isn't Wimbledon, is it? You made a loud call, show me the mark."

The fans ate it up and Wilander was used to it.

"We're used to it. He cares. There's no such thing as an exhibition to him,'' Wilander said.

American teen Ryan Harrison, who earned his way into the 32-player draw of the ATP International Tennis Championships, loves to pick the brains of the legends.

"You see these guys all your life, look up to them and to see them walking around observing my matches, talking to me about my game, it's an honor,'' said Harrison, 17.

Tournament founder Mark Baron couldn't have asked for a better final Tuesday night than McEnroe and the affable Aussie Patrick Rafter. The two have six U.S. Open titles between them.

"It's going to take a special effort to beat him, and hopefully the crowd will get behind the old guy,'' McEnroe said.

Rafter, 37, was expecting anything from an unpredictable opponent he's never faced on the tour.

"I'm just a young buck, so he's going to want to rip my head off,'' joked Rafter, who edged McEnroe 8-6 in an exhibition pro set earlier this year. "I can't lose to this guy or I'll cop too much stick back home. I've got to bring my ‘A' game because he's one of my idols growing up.

"John will probably be chucking a few bananas on the court and acting up a bit, but I'm sure I could handle it.''